Research

Hormonal

Regular exercise training significantly reduces serum concentrations of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8) and increases IL-2 in breast cancer survivors, thereby modulating chronic low-grade inflammation.

Breast cancer survivors should engage in regular exercise (approx. 3 times a week, 45+ minutes per session) as it significantly lowers pro-inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-α. This modulation of inflammation is a key mechanism for improving prognosis and reducing fatigue, regardless of whether the exercise is aerobic, resistance, yoga, or tai chi.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Exercise improved the serum concentrations of IL-6 (Weighted mean difference (WMD) = 0.55 pg/mL, (95% CI -1.02 to -0.09), TNF-α (WMD= -0.64 pg/mL, 95% CI -1.21 to -0.06), IL-8 (MD = -0.49 pg/mL, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.09), IL-2 (WMD= 1.03 pg/mL, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.67)... Exercise training positively modulates chronic low-grade inflammation in women with breast cancer, which may impact upon carcinogenic mechanisms and the tumor microenvironment.
José F. Meneses-Echávez et al. · Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention · 2016

Why this rating

Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 8 high-quality RCTs (n=478), though heterogeneity exists.

Source

The Effect of Exercise Training on Mediators of Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis

José F. Meneses-Echávez et al. · Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention · 2016

DOI 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-15-1061

Meta-analysis · 8 studiesCited 174×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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